Here's Why Kyle And Kaleb Got An NYC Star Student Shout Out

NEW YORK CITY — Star Students are found in classrooms, on concert and theater stages and at debate lecterns, and out in the community doing good things to make life better for all of us.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize Star Students, and we’re working to tell the stories of these outstanding kids to their neighbors.

This submission comes from Lorna Myers who nominated Kyle and Kaleb, twin brothers and 10th graders in New York City.

Myers is their proud mother.

Star local student’s name

Twins: Kyle and Kaleb (10th grade)

Star local student’s home state

New York

How do you know the star local student?

I am their mother and have been watching them work on a project with their chess coach. I have been genuinely amazed to see the program they have built together.

Why do you believe the star local student should be recognized?

Kyle and Kaleb speak Spanish as a first language. They are also competitive chess players on a national and international level. In fact, this year, Kyle achieved the title of National Chess Master. They are also unusual in that as twins, both were admitted to Stuyvesant High School, one of the most competitive schools in the city.

As they watched the news about the migrant busloads arriving in NYC from Texas, they contacted their chess coach, Russ Makofsky, to see how they could help. A Times Square Church agreed to provide space (very close to the shelters) and with their coach they launched an afterschool program for these children on Jan 9, 2023. Coach Russ also brought in the Women's Dominican Republic champion to teach daily which is major.

From 3:30-6PM, Kyle and Kaleb volunteer teaching chess to the children, tutor them on math, and the parents are taught English while they wait.

The students were total novices to chess and had to be taught what the pieces were called and how to move them.

Less than a month later, some of the children went to their first chess tournament and two of the students won first place last weekend!

Kyle and Kaleb were thrilled to see the pictures from one of the moms showing her son with his medal and a gift card he was awarded.

One of the moms said to another volunteer that her son has taken the twins as his role model, that he wants to be a chess champion too and wants to go to the school (Stuyvesant) the twins attend.

Through chess, these children who have been through so much (sometimes they mention their months walking through the jungle and traversing up to 6 countries to get here) have found a welcoming and nourishing community and a safe place. This is clear because the same children return every day and new ones are coming through word-of-mouth.

As for Kyle and Kaleb, they are receiving life lessons that no academic institution provides, they have grown personally from the time spent with these kids and families and will continue throughout the school year. In the meantime, they have also maintained their GPAs of 3.8, continued to compete in chess as part of the school team, and work on independent projects for their future careers. They are Star Students.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the star local student?

Kyle and Kaleb volunteer every afternoon of their school week to teach the newly arrived migrant children chess and math.

Congratulations on your achievements, and all of our best wishes to you in the future, Kyle and Kaleb!

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